Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. It is important that this House focuses on Belarus's role in this war as well as Russia's because Belarus has been complicit in much of what has happened.

The EU has condemned Belarus's involvement in Russia's unprovoked and unjustified military invasion of Ukraine. In response to the invasion, since late February, the EU has adopted a wide range of sanctions measures targeting both Russia and Belarus. A sixth sanctions package is currently under discussion and is expected to be adopted in the coming days.

These sanctions measures build on separate measures introduced by the EU following the fraudulent presidential elections in Belarus in August 2020. Since October 2020, the EU has introduced a number of packages of Belarus sanctions in response to, among other things, unacceptable violence by the Belarusian authorities against peaceful protesters, the instrumentalisation of migrants for political purposes and hybrid attacks at the EU's borders.

Significant restrictions have already been placed on trade between the EU and Belarus, in particular, on goods used for the production of tobacco products, mineral fuels and gaseous hydrocarbon products as well as potash, wood, cement, iron, steel and rubber products. Restrictions have also been imposed on exports to Belarus of dual-use goods and technology that might contribute to Belarus' military, technological, defence and security development.

In addition, a range of measures targets the Belarusian financial sector. Three Belarusian banks have been removed from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, SWIFT, financial messaging system and transactions with the Central Bank of Belarus are prohibited. Furthermore, limits have been placed on financial inflows from Belarus to the EU by prohibiting the acceptance of deposits exceeding €100,000 from Belarusian nationals or residents, the holding of accounts of Belarusian clients by the EU central securities depositories as well as the selling of euro-denominated securities to Belarusian clients. The provision of euro-denominated bank notes to Belarus is also prohibited. Lastly, a ban has been placed on the listing and provision of services in relation to shares of Belarusian state-owned entities on EU trading venues.

The sanctions adopted since February 2022 include asset freezes and travel bans targeting 42 Belarusian military personnel.

See this speech in context